Ingredients

• 800 g beef, Cubed
• 1 1/2 liters beef stock
• 2 onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 6 celery ribs
• 6 carrots
• 6 potatoes
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 12 -15 homemade cheese & chive dumplings (optional)

Instructions

1. Fairly straightforward recipe, pre-heat oven to gas mark 5, or 190 C - I think around 350!

2. Chop Beef into cubes if necessary; add to the pot & cover with Stock.

3. Chop Onions, Celery, Carrots & Potato; add to the pot.

4. Crush Garlic, Chop Thyme & Oregano; add to the pot.

5. Stir in half a teaspoon of all spice and give the whole contents of the pot a good stir.

6. Cook in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes.

7. Prepare your dumplings while this is doing - see my other recipe.

8. After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and put the dumplings on the top of the stew, puch them in gently so half of each is 'hidden' - they will sink into the stew.

9. Cook again for another 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, check the stew is not too dry (dumplings suck a lot of moisture up and so you may want to add another cup of boiling water). Once you have done that, or dodn't need to, cook for a final ten minutes.

10. Serve. Either alone or with some fresh bread -- mmm.